Autonomous Driving Company Pony.ai Expands Into Tucson

TUCSON, AZ (September 22, 2022) — Pony.ai, a leading global autonomous driving technology company, today announced its plan to begin testing its autonomous vehicles in Tucson, Arizona, with trained safety drivers behind the wheel of the vehicles. Pony.ai is partnering with Pima Community College and will base its operations at the new Automotive Technology & Innovation Center, located at its Downtown campus. The new Tucson operation is Pony.ai's first and only location in Arizona.

“Tucson is quickly becoming a leading city for tech startups and smart city technology, and Pony.ai is excited to expand our operations there," said James Peng, Co-Founder and CEO, Pony.ai. "We want to thank Mayor Romero, the City of Tucson, Sun Corridor, ADOT, and others who made our expansion to Tucson so seamless."

“Arizona is the premier destination for autonomous vehicle innovation,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “Pony.ai’s Tucson operations are a valued addition to Arizona’s growing AV ecosystem, which is supported through one-of-a-kind collaborations like the Institute of Automated Mobility.”

“Pony.ai’s decision to select Tucson for their new autonomous passenger vehicle testing operations is further validation that Southern Arizona is an emerging player in the autonomous vehicle industry,” said Joe Snell, President & CEO, Sun Corridor Inc. “Pony.ai joins a growing list of companies developing autonomous technologies that have established or expanded operations in the region over the last few years.”

“We are excited to welcome Pony.ai to Tucson as the next site of their autonomous vehicle pilot,” said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “Our city is known as a hub for innovation and smart technologies, and now we have a unique opportunity to partner with Pony.ai to test new technologies that can help us create safer streets."

"We are thrilled with the opportunity to become the home of Pony.ai's operations in the region," said Lee Lambert, Chancellor, Pima Community College. “It aligns perfectly with our vision of the PCC Automotive Technology & Innovation Center to be on the cutting edge of the new automotive technology. Our students will be excited to be at the center of the autonomous vehicle technology action. Welcome, Pony.ai.”

“Pony.ai is the first company in Southern Arizona to launch passenger AV testing. Pima County’s highly skilled automotive workforce, as well as expertise built with TuSimple and others, will greatly benefit Pony.ai in this launch and future expansions,” said Sharon Bronson, chair, Pima County Board of Supervisors. “We’re also excited to see that Pony.ai’s technology vision will include enhanced mobility for underserved populations by providing more reliable transportation for persons with disabilities. I wish them all the success as they establish testing operations in Pima County.”

To date, Pony.ai vehicles have driven more than 9.3 million autonomous testing and operation miles worldwide. Pony.ai ranked no. 10 on the 2022 CNBC Disruptor List of 50 of the most disruptive and innovative private companies.

Visuals of Pony.ai cars can be found here.

Media Contacts
Adam Steinberg, Pony.ai, [email protected]

Alyssa Tufts, Arizona Commerce Authority, [email protected]

Laura Shaw, Sun Corridor Inc., [email protected]

About Pony.ai
Leading global autonomous driving technology company Pony.ai, Inc. (“Pony.ai”) is pursuing an ambitious vision for autonomous mobility. We aim to bring safe, sustainable, and accessible mobility to the entire world. We believe that autonomous technology can make our roads exponentially safer for travelers. Founded in 2016, Pony.ai has been a pioneer in extending autonomous mobility technologies and services at a rapidly expanding footprint of sites around the world. Pony.ai has formed partnerships with leading OEMs, including Toyota, SANY, FAW Group, GAC Group, etc. To date, Pony.ai has accumulated more than 9.3 million autonomous testing and operation miles worldwide. To learn more, visit pony.ai.

About the Arizona Commerce Authority

The Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) is the state's leading economic development organization with a streamlined mission to grow and strengthen Arizona's economy. The ACA uses a three-pronged approach to advance the overall economy: attract, expand, create - attract out-of-state companies to establish operations in Arizona; work with existing companies to expand their business in Arizona and beyond; and help entrepreneurs create new Arizona businesses in targeted industries. For more information, please visit azcommerce.com and follow the ACA on Twitter @azcommerce.